


Like Cats and Dogs

by argentumlupine



Category: Bandom, My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-07-06
Updated: 2012-07-06
Packaged: 2017-11-18 11:02:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/argentumlupine/pseuds/argentumlupine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mikey's old vet has moved away, so he takes Bunny to the new vet: Frank!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Like Cats and Dogs

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://bandom-meme.dreamwidth.org/3911.html?thread=212551#cmt212551).

“Seriously, Mikey. When are you going to get your ass out here to L.A.?”

Gerard has been asking for weeks. Mikey knows he can take the time off, he’s got plenty of vacation coming to him, it’s just...

“I don’t want to board Bunny for that long,” he says. And he doesn’t want to leave her home and ask someone to check on her every day for a month, either, even though he’s pretty sure Alicia will do it if he asks her to.

“Bring Bunny with you,” Gerard says, a whole lot of DUH in his tone. “We’ll get a litter box and stuff. No problem.”

Mikey pauses, a protest on the tip of his tongue. Actually, that could work. “You sure?”

“Yeah. Might be fun, having an animal around here.” There’s a pause. “Now, was that the last of your bullshit excuses? Will you buy a plane ticket and get over here already?”

Mikey has to smile. “Okay, sure.”

 

\--

 

Mikey frowns at the computer screen. Maybe he should leave Bunny home and ask Alicia to check on her after all. He had no idea flying with a cat would be so complicated. The right crate, flying at the right time of day, alerting the airline, making sure she wouldn’t freak out at the noise, having a certificate of health from a vet.

Bunny needs a check-up anyway. He can take her to the vet, see what Dr. Craine has to say about traveling, and make his decision later. He gently pushes Bunny away when she tries to crawl onto his keyboard, scratching under her chin as he reaches for his phone.

“You’ve reached Belleville Animal Hospital. We’re here for all your pet’s needs. Well, most of their needs--I’m sure there are some things your pet might need that we can’t help with. We’re not here to get your pets laid. Neutered, spayed, not laid. But for other pet stuff we’re probably who you need to talk to. What can I do for you today?”

Mikey shakes his head. For as long as he can remember, the vet’s receptionist, Seth, has been answering the phone this way. He always says the same thing, rattling the speech off so quickly it’s hard to understand him and also hard to figure out how he manages to say it all in one breath. Guy has skills.

“Hey, Seth. This is--”

“Mikey Way. Dad of Bunny. Need an appointment?” Mikey hears typing while Seth talks and doesn’t even have a chance to say anything before Seth says, “There’s an opening at 3:30 tomorrow, you want it? Or there’s one on Saturday at 10. Or Tuesday at 2 or 6:30. Which one do you want?” Again, rapid-fire, barely taking a breath. It’s a good thing Mikey is used to this.

“Tomorrow works,” he says. Bunny head-butts him in the arm. She obviously doesn’t know who he’s talking to or she’d be hiding under the couch.

“You’re in.” Seth hangs up on him. This time, when Bunny tries to walk onto the keyboard, Mikey scoops her up, ignoring her indignant meow, and carries her into the kitchen with him.

 

\--

 

Mikey does his best to ignore Bunny’s grouchy meowing as he drives to the vet. Every time she’s in her carrier she gets like this. It’s another reason he’s starting to wonder if traveling with her is actually a good idea.

Mr. Cooper and his two golden retrievers almost knock Mikey over as they come barreling out of the office door. Bunny yowls when Mikey almost drops her carrier, which gets the dogs’ attention, and then it’s a frantic struggle to keep Bunny out of their reach. Old Mr. Cooper tries to calm down the dogs and pull them away, but they’re stronger and keep jumping on Mikey as he works his way toward the door. Finally, Mikey escapes inside the office, watching through the window as Mr. Cooper gets his dogs into his car and drives off. Mikey sighs. Well, that was exciting. He sets Bunny’s carrier down on the bench and crouches down to look in at her. She’s huddled at the back of the carrier, looking ruffled, but no worse for wear. Mikey stands back up and waves to Seth, who’s sitting behind the counter as always. Seth gives him a quick nod and holds out a clipboard. When Mikey doesn’t immediately come take it, Seth pins him with a glare. Mikey winces, hurrying over to fill out his paperwork.

Seth takes it from him when he’s done. “Go on back to exam room 2. It may be a few minutes.”

Mikey grabs Bunny, feeling the carrier shift as she moves from the back to the front, and heads for the exam room. He shuts the door behind him before he sets the carrier on the exam table and unzips the front flap. Bunny slinks out, looks around the room for a moment, then jumps down and scrambles under the chair in the corner, pressing herself as close to the wall as she can get and crouching there with her feet under her and her tail wrapped around her front feet, looking disgruntled. When Mikey sits down on the floor next to the chair, she creeps closer to him until she’s pressed against his leg, tense, staring at nothing. Mikey pets her while he waits.

When the far door opens, Mikey looks up to greet Dr. Craine and stops, mouth hanging open. This is not at all who he expected. For one thing, not a woman, for another, not six feet tall. Were those tattoos? And ripped jeans and a scrub top under the white coat?

“Wait, where’s Dr. Craine?” he blurts.

“I think she said she was moving to Ohio,” the guy says. “I’m Dr. Iero. Took over two weeks ago.”

Mikey blinks at him, at a loss.

“Don’t know why you’re so surprised, man. My name’s on the sign.” Dr. Iero shuts the door behind him.

“But Seth--”

“Knows everyone and besides, I’m not firing someone Dr. Craine said was the best thing that ever happened to her practice. I’m new, I’m not dumb.” Dr. Iero sets the chart on the table and raises an eyebrow. “You going to let me see your cat or what?”

Oh. Oops. Mikey tears his gaze away from Dr. Iero’s perfect face, picks Bunny up, and carefully gets to his feet. Luckily, Bunny doesn’t wriggle out of his grip while he’s trying to get off the floor without dropping her or squishing her or losing his balance or otherwise looking like an idiot. He sets her on the table and holds her there when she tries to squirm away.

Dr. Iero scratches at the base of Bunny’s tail and behind her ears before he looks up at Mikey. “You can let her go, I’ve got her.”

Mikey lets go and just stares for a minute at the guy’s hand tattoos. “Does everyone make comments about your tattoos?” he asks, and winces. Wow. Creative.

Dr. Iero looks up, grinning. “Yeah, pretty much. This one guy grabbed my hand while I was in the middle of looking at his dog and shoved my sleeve back to have a look.” He keeps talking while he goes through the exam, hands moving quickly and gently over Bunny, who is relaxing bit by bit. Mikey just keeps staring at the guy’s hands, listening while Dr. Iero talks about reactions to his tattoos.

“I mean, this one lady saw me walk in--this was my first day, fourth appointment or so--said something like ‘only godless delinquents get tattoos’ and picked up her severely overweight Pomeranian--no kidding, the dog could only waddle--and stomped out.”

“You weren’t offended?”

Dr. Iero finishes giving Bunny her first shot, rubbing the injection site. “Hell yeah I was offended. The phrase is ‘godless delinquent rock stars.’ If she’s going to be rude, she’d better get it right.” He grins. Mikey grins back.

“Rock star?”

“Yeah, I was in a band. Played guitar. Screamed into a mic. Almost dropped out of college so we could tour, but the band broke up before I had to decide.”

“Good timing.”

“Yeah.” Dr. Iero gives Bunny another shot. “Losing the band sucked, but at least the timing worked out.”

“You still play?” Mikey can just imagine those hands moving over the strings. He would love to see that.

“Sure, when I can.”

“We should play sometime,” Mikey says before he can stop himself.

Dr. Iero looks up, a smirk on his face and one eyebrow quirked up. “Play or play?” he asks. Mikey freezes. “I thought so,” Dr. Iero says, laughing. “Just had to be sure.” He gives Mikey a brilliant grin before leaning down to look into Bunny’s face. “We’re done, baby. You can relax now,” he says in a low voice that sends a shiver up Mikey’s spine. While Mikey is trying to think of something to say, Dr. Iero pulls a cat treat out of a canister on the counter and offers it to Bunny. She sniffs at it before crouching back down and glaring at him.

“Don’t think much of me, do you?” Dr. Iero asks Bunny, turning to drop the treat back into the canister. “That’s okay, I did stick a thermometer and some needles in you. You can resent me if you want to.”

Mikey can’t help it. He laughs. “Did you just apologize to my cat?”

“I didn’t apologize!” Dr. Iero gives Mikey a mock-affronted look. “I just said I understand her pain and resentment.” He runs a hand across Bunny’s back. To Mikey’s surprise, she starts purring. “She doesn’t need an apology.” Dr. Iero bends down to look into Bunny’s face again. “Do you?” He puts a hand near her face; she rubs her cheek against his fingers. Dr. Iero flashes Mikey a satisfied smile. “See? I don’t have to say it. She forgives me.”

“She can hold a grudge,” Mikey says.

“This sweetheart?” Dr. Iero says, then giggles when Bunny presses her neck against his fingers and flops onto her side. “Right, she’s dangerous. Pull the other one.”

“It’s true. Don’t turn your back on her. She’s just waiting for her moment.”

Bunny is purring her heart out, lying on top of Dr. Iero’s hand. “Vicious,” Dr. Iero says, “terrifying. Hold me.”

“Fine, she’s not a fighter.”

“World always needs lovers,” Dr. Iero says, grinning up at Mikey, who feels his cheeks heat.

“Do you flirt with everyone?” he asks.

Dr. Iero’s face becomes a study in tragedy. “Yes, but no one wants to flirt back. Maybe I’m not doing it right.”

“Oh, you’re doing it right,” Mikey says. “They’re just stupid.”

There is that blinding grin again. “Thanks. And since you’re nice enough to flirt back, you can call me Frank.”

“Mikey.”

“Well, Mikey, I’d love to ask you out--”

“Yes,” Mikey says immediately.

Frank holds up a hand as he continues, “--except I’ve got to mention that long-term with us probably won’t work.”

Mikey crosses his arms. “Oh? Why not?”

“You have a cat. I have six dogs. Incompatible pets? That’s a deal-breaker for me.”

“Bunny likes dogs,” Mikey says with a shrug.

“Huh. Do you like dogs?”

“Yeah.”

Frank steps into Mikey’s space. “You really like dogs?”

Mikey leans down. “I really do.”

“Great!” Frank abruptly walks to the back door, opens it, and whistles. Mikey stands there, staring.

“What--”

Frank holds up a hand. “Wait for it.”

A moment later Bunny is on her feet. Mikey understands when hears nails clattering on tiles just before six dogs barrel into the room. The Boxer plants its front feet on the table and pushes its face as close to Bunny as it can. The other dogs scramble around on the floor, wriggling, jumping up on Frank, then Mikey, and then running back to Frank again. Mikey’s afraid to look too long, wanting to see how Bunny reacts to the Boxer.

He needn’t have worried. After a moment, she relaxes, leaning forward to touch her nose to the dog’s.

Mikey keeps an eye on them while he asks Frank, “You bring your dogs to work with you?”

“Yeah. We haven’t been back in Jersey long. I don’t want to leave them home alone.” Frank scoops up the Chihuahua and sets her on the table next to Bunny, who immediately turns to see. Cat and dog survey each other, then the Chihuahua sidles up to Bunny. Bunny rubs her cheek over the Chihuahua’s head. Frank and Mikey exchange grins.

“You bring six dogs to work. Every day.”

Frank shrugs. “It’s not a permanent thing, but yeah.”

Packing six dogs into a car every day had to be a challenge. “That reminds me,” Mikey says, “I’m planning to fly to L.A. with Bunny--”

“For a trip?” Frank interrupts. “You’re not moving?”

“No, I’m going to my brother’s for a month.”

“Don’t take her,” Frank says. “I can give you the certificate of health if you’re determined, but air travel is hard on cats.”

Bunny jumps down to the floor, perfectly at ease as the dogs surround her. She seems calmer now than she had during her check-up. “Little weirdo,” Mikey mutters, watching her rub her cheek on the pug’s shoulder. He looks back at Frank. “I guess I’ll get a friend to feed her while I’m gone.”

“I could keep her for you,” Frank offers.

“Um. No offense, but--”

Frank leans close. “When are you leaving?”

“A week from Thursday. But--”

“Great! We can get in couple of dates before you leave. Then you’ll trust me to keep your cat for you.” Frank pulls out his phone. “What’s your number?”

Mikey just stares at him for a moment, trying to get his brain to catch up. He gives Frank his number while he pulls out his phone to get Frank’s.

“Friday, 7:00?” Frank asks as he puts his phone away and pulls out a pad of paper. He scribbles something down and rips off the page, offering it to Mikey. “I’ll cook. Bring Bunny.”

Mikey stares down at the paper, where Frank has scrawled out his address. “You move fast,” he says, bemused.

Frank laughs. Giggles, really. Mikey’s charmed. “Our pets like each other,” Frank says. “Always trust your pet’s judgment. It’s meant to be. Waiting would be stupid.” He flashes that brilliant grin again. “So. Friday?”

Mikey smiles as he crouches down retrieve Bunny from the dog pile. She’s purring happily as he pulls her against his chest and stands up, then closes her eyes when Frank rubs behind her ear. “Okay,” Mikey says. Maybe it really was meant to be. “Friday.”


End file.
